Press Release

Statement by Medicare Rights Center President Joseph Baker on
the White House Agreement on Hospital Savings

New York, NY – Today’s announcement indicates that we may be able to prudently trim some Medicare spending while still providing adequate support to those institutions that serve our most vulnerable citizens and creating incentives for hospitals and other Medicare providers to improve the quality of the care they deliver. While these savings will help shore up Medicare's finances and contribute to the money needed to guarantee all Americans affordable, comprehensive health insurance, we must also remember that there are substantial gaps in Medicare. Savings from Medicare should also be dedicated to closing those gaps, especially for people on limited incomes and people with disabilities, by improving Medicare programs that help those with low incomes pay their medical and prescription drug bills and ending the two-year wait for Medicare for people with disabilities.

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Medicare Rights Center is a national, nonprofit consumer service organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy, educational programs, and public policy initiatives.